Interview • 114 PH

Michal Florence Schorro, juste une pause

Tokyo, Japan

Please introduce yourself—what is your name, where are you from, what do you do?

My name is Michal Florence Schorro. I’m from Switzerland and currently reside in Zurich. I work as an independent photographer and designer, and I create personal projects using the medium of photography.

What is your relationship with photography, and how did you get into it?

I started taking photographs when I was around 14 years old using a Nikon FG, which—if I remember correctly—was a hand-me-down from my parents. During my high school years, I regularly developed my own images in our school’s darkroom.

Despite this early passion for photography, I chose to do a degree called «Visual Communication» in college, which was more focused on graphic design. However, for my master's degree, I opted for a program called «Art Direction and Photography».

Given this background in graphic design, my photographic work tends to be abstract and graphic in nature. And maybe there’s a more overarching design aspect to my work, too. Because, while photography is my primary medium, I also work with other mediums—viewing photography more as a tool among many.

What do you think triggers you to photograph in a certain moment? Is it planned or solely driven by intuition?

I don't typically carry a camera with me on a daily basis, so spontaneous images are actually rare for me. I usually work in a more planned way. Most of the time, I have a precise idea or concept before executing it.

But it’s more like a frame or set-up that I create, within which I then start an aesthetic exploration of surfaces, structures, lighting, and shapes. And that part of the process is actually rather intuitive. Until I find this instant, when a certain equilibrium sets in.

When different or maybe even disparate elements settle into a balanced composition. Or where a busy environment quiets down into a moment of calmness. There is something deeply satisfying and experiential to me when I achieve an image that has this perfect balance—or at least what I perceive as a perfect balance.

What is the story you want your pictures to tell?

For me, photography starts from a personal reflection on how I interact with my surroundings and how they shape me.

I acknowledge that all my images represent my viewpoint and my experience. But in an extended way, through my lens, I often explore how society deals with nature in urban areas, pushing the boundaries of what is natural in the highly controlled and planned environment of cities.

In a similar vein, the role of sunlight as a natural element that interacts with the built environment is a reoccurring element in my photography.

Which city would you like to visit the most, and why?

I’d be really keen to visit more big cities in Asia, such as Seoul, for the food, but also for the architecture.

What is your personal relationship to cities, and how do you perceive them as places in general?

I lived for a few years in big cities in North Africa (Constantine in Algeria and Tunis in Tunisia) as a child before returning to a small village in Switzerland. That village seemed very dull in comparison and I longed for city life again.

I love the liveliness, noise, buzz, and even the smells of cities. It makes me feel alive and safe to be in a city, surrounded by many people and different cultures. I also love the fact that it is an ever changing environment, old buildings disappear, new ones are built. It's very dynamic.

Since I walk a lot and commute by bike, I can clearly see how the «habitat» I share with other people evolves. Even if factors like gentrification are of course highly problematic, there’s an element of fascination to this transformative character of cities.

Regarding your project «juste une pause»: what was your intention, and how did you come up with the idea?

«Juste une pause» was, as the title suggests, a project I created after taking a break. For health reasons, I had stopped photographing for about two years. When I returned to it, I wanted to rekindle my love for the medium. And so, as we were taking a trip to Japan, I gave myself the simple task of taking images using only a fixed lens and without any pressure on myself.

The resulting images are very calm and reflective of the meditative state I was in while taking them. I found Tokyo and that whole experience to be deeply peaceful.

Which project did you never finish?

There are so many. I have a lot of Ideas but very little perseverance. If something doesn't please me on the first try, I tend to scratch the whole project and wait for the next idea.

What is that one thing you have never managed to photograph and is now gone for good?

I wish I had gone out more to take pictures at the beginning of the Covid lockdown when the streets were empty. But, honestly, I was too afraid to do so.

What do you prefer saying: «to take a photograph» or to «make a photograph», and why?

«Make a photograph», as I never take snapshots of moments. I focus a lot on «making» the image while looking through the viewfinder of my camera. And so think of my images as very «constructed».

What is the most interesting experience you have had while photographing?

I think the most interesting experience while photographing is always this state of total concentration, trying to find the perfect angle or frame.

If it wasn’t for photography, what would you be interested in doing instead?

We have a huge community garden right beside our apartment block and I love gardening there. Working more with my hands and being outside allows me to enter into a flow state, which is very satisfying. So, I’d probably just be gardening, planting, and creating more environments for bees in the city.

What are you currently working on, and—if there is—what is your next project or journey?

I'm working on a collaboration with a friend who’s a textile designer. We are trying to translate one of my images into a textile, exploring different weaving techniques in order to do so.

I also plan on starting a project about the development of the neighborhood where my studio is located in. It's on the outskirts of Zurich and there are huge construction sites everywhere. It might well be the most rapidly changing neighborhood in the country right now. 

Thank you, Michal!

Editorial Notes

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Photography: Michal Florence Schorro (2018–ongoing)
Location: Tokyo, Japan

Links: Website, Instagram

Tokyo, Japan

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